GOOEY CHOCOLATE OAT BARS
Fifty-four 2 × 1-inch bars
Add the optional coconut flakes, and you may call these Magic Cookie Bars.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 × 9 × 2-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper so it extends over the 2 long sides.
Beat together in a large bowl:
- 1 ½ sticks (6 oz or 170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (230g) packed brown sugar
Beat in:
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Set aside. Whisk together in a medium bowl:
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Stir in:
- 2 ¼ cups (225g) old-fashioned rolled oats
Stir the flour-oat mixture into the butter-sugar mixture until combined. Press two-thirds of the mixture into the prepared pan and set the rest aside. Combine in a medium saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth:
- 1 ½ cups (255g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (305g) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons (25g) unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
Stir in:
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Spread the chocolate mixture over the crust, then dot with the remaining flour-oat mixture. If desired, sprinkle with:
- (½ cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut)
Bake until set, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack before cutting into bars.